“Broader horizons.” That’s the phrase that comes to mind for Eliberto Mendoza when he reflects on being a Leadership Fellow.
“First and foremost, the program really opened my eyes to learning more about our community beyond my immediate areas of focus in the nonprofit and government sectors,” he said. “The experience helped me to gain a greater understanding of some of the issues that Boulder County is facing, and the collaborative partnerships that are working to address those issues.”
As a Fellow, Mendoza also valued the opportunity to think about his own style of leadership. “The program gave me time to pause and talk with other Fellows about what it means to be a truly inclusive leader, and how we work out inclusivity in reality,” he said. “I walked away with the important lesson that we have to hold dearly to inclusivity, even when it’s not easy or comfortable.
“For example, I learned to respect the different passions among board members. An organization and its board may have a mission statement, but what draws people to serve on the board might be just one aspect of that mission statement.
“When I was on the board of Intercambio De Comunidades, the value for me was building community – but for others, it was teaching English. Inclusivity isn’t just about including racial and other minorities – what I learned in the leadership program is that it’s also about being inclusive of all the different passions and perspectives at the table, and people’s different backgrounds. As a result, I’ve really become an advocate of having as many stakeholders at the table as possible.”
“That doesn’t mean you can please everyone,” Mendoza continued. “It just means that we must strive to be inclusive of everyone affected by a particular decision. Then, once a conclusion has been reached, even if some people may disagree, they can’t say their voices weren’t heard. But if we make decisions behind closed doors, that’s the total opposite of being inclusive.”
Just recently, as Interim Director of Boulder County Community Action Programs, Mendoza moderated a Living Wage dialogue and, on September 25, he’ll be facilitating a community forum for low-income families to share their stories.
Mendoza also appreciates the ongoing relationships he’s developed as a Leadership Fellow. “I met people I wouldn’t otherwise have met or had the opportunity to interact with – attorneys, bankers, business leaders – and got to know them on a deeper level, beyond just walking into their places of business.
“I came to understand how you can serve the community without being in the nonprofit sector. I already knew that academically, but it was only through the leadership program that I grasped the practicality of the many different kinds of people who are doing amazing things for our community.
“The virtues of the leadership program can’t be overstated. If you’re interested in becoming a leader in Boulder County, if you’re interested in having a significant role in the crucial conversations that are happening, if you want to really understand what’s happening outside your own office and your own passions, and if you want to learn what it means to achieve true inclusivity…this program is the conduit.”
